In the above referenced pending application, a counterweight composed of weight components is connected to a movable load which exerts varying static and dynamic forces requiring counteracting with a minimum input of energy into the system. The force counteracting effectiveness of the counterweight components which may be individually arrested during movement of the load.
The present invention addresses the same problem of counteracting static and dynamic forces exerted by a movable load through further development of the counterweight to enable it to counteract the load exerted forces in a finer degree during movements of the load. This increased force counteracting ability of the counterweight in the present invention is achieved by dividing the counterweight into two groups of weight components, and making provision for lifting components of the second group a limited amount relative to components of the first counterweight group when the counterweight is at its lowest position.
For this design of the counterweight system, there are several parameters permitting the adaptation of any desired motion, such as the number of partial weights of the two groups, the weights (masses) of the partial weights, the locations where the stop means for the partial weights of both groups are mounted and the distance by which the partial weights of the second group are raised.
The partial weights of the first group being mounted one on top of the other and cooperating with fixed stop means; one preferred embodiment of the invention so designs the second group of partial weights that at least a few partial weights of the first group are sub-divided into two parts which may move relative to each other in the vertical direction and are mounted one above the other, and in that provision is made for a support connected with the lifting system for each upper part and displaceable by a limited amount in height.
In this case the lifting system for the supports of the upper parts are designed in such manner it raises these supports sequentially by that limited height. This design allows raising the partial weights of the second group, which rest on these supports, with very small forces and accordingly low power.
This invention furthermore applies to a counterweight system in which two neighboring partial weights of each group are interconnected by members permitting a restricted relative motion between these two partial weights, one terminal partial weight of the first group being connected to the load and the other terminal partial weight of the first group cooperating with spatially fixed stop. In this case the counterweight preferably is so designed that the partial weights of each group can be telescoped into themselves and that telescoping partial weights of the second group are mounted coaxially with the partial weights of the first group, and that the second group of partial weights can be lifted by a restricted height relative to the first group by means of the lifting system.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention result from the following description of illustrative embodiments of the invention.